Final Fantasy 7
by Gypsy Elli
Summary: Chapter four is up. THE PROMISE! Please be kind. R&R. Thanks!
1. Prologue

**VII**

The city of Midgar could not simply be described with words such as: big, huge, large or gigantic. It transcended these things in a way which was both awe-inspiring and disgusting. It was a manmade wonder and pinnacle of achievement, people looking upon the city for the first time might on occasion wonder how such a thing was ever built, in a way that one might look upon the sky and be amazed by its brilliance. It was also an affront to the natural world and a paragon of mans destructive nature. The city was built upon a vast plateau of wind blasted rocks and grey dead earth and dust. The wasteland stretched out never ending into a bleak horizon of dust storms, tormented by sunless days and starless nights. In this hopeless desert the city of Midgar was truly a wonder of mans potential, its builders would call it an oasis, a sanctuary where people could exist without the fear to provide for food, water, warmth or safety. It could all be provided.

Midgar was a circular superstructure beyond compare in which all of its millions of people existed in a never sleeping and ever moving megalopolis. The actual city was elevated fifty meters above the ground by a central pillar which was supported all along the circumference by columns of steel which marked the boundaries of the city on the ground. The grand city was split into eight areas which were known as sectors and each was separated by high walls and gates, each connected by an impressive road and rail network which made travel easy and effective. The sound of motor engines and the rhythm of the great trains was a constant aspect of Midgar life as well as in the wasteland beyond; miles out in the bleak desert the haunting sounds of the city could be heard like the pulsating heart of a machine. The city's skyline was dominated by two buildings; the first was the Reactors and the second was the Tower. The eight Reactors ringed the outside of the city limits in an area which was controlled and inhabited exclusively by the security forces of Midgar. The machines were giant structures which loosely resembled pistons which every few hours would discharge great plumes of smoke into the air accompanied by the sound of a high pitched whistle. It was rumoured that the Reactors burrowed deep into the planet where they extracted Mako energy. There was generally little known about this fuel but it was known that Mako energy was the lifeblood of Midgar and its creators. It was the essence of its existence. The second building was the tower which rose from the centre of the city up into the sky. It was called the Shinra Tower after its creator and President and stood like the pinnacle of the crown which was Midgar. The Tower was a palace of glass and steel, it rose from a base of turbines, generators and steam billowing pipes to the dizzy heights of polished glass, elevators and helipads. It really was the tip of the crown.

Bear in mind however dear reader that Midgar was both awe-inspiring and disgusting; a place of perfect duality if ever there was one. Below the raised plate of the city almost in total denial and opposition to the life above was the area below bluntly known as the Slums. There remained the Sectors and the railways but other than that it was the land of the oppressed. A world of abject poverty and misery where the teeming masses lived by the rule of the street and sweated away their lives in the service of Shinra in the vain delusion that they were each working toward their dreams of wealth and luxury, after all the city did provide. And throughout the years the Midgar dream had grown in the minds of millions who would flock to the great city to escape the world outside. There they would be safe and if they worked they might ascend that mighty crown of success, from the base land of the slums to the world above, the star above the smog as it was wistfully known among many below; a place of Mako powered existence where all of one's dreams could be fulfilled.

That was one way to view the world however, there were those who would always proscribe to the Midgar dream and blindly strive to beat the system as so many had tried before. There were also those who would look at the city and its ultimate duality and see the poverty and suffering not as something to be remedied by the Midgar dream. The Midgar dream was the scourge of the people's happiness. And so why Midgars designers and builders would describe the city as the oasis in the wasteland there were those who would disagree; Midgar was the wasteland, a huge void of humanity which the desolation of the landscape around barely compared.

In an ally way of the upper city the girl had bent down to examine a small cluster of pipes and mechanical instruments. It was a small Mako power conduit, it must be reasoned the girl, from tear in the piping which caught her attention there rose tiny glowing embers into the air. She had gotten so close to the conduit that her nose was almost touching the pipe. Around her field of vision the green embers rose around her in the blackness of the alley, the noise of the surrounding city was intrusive but for the girl at that moment she could hear nothing of that as her very being focused on the Mako energy. She suddenly brought her head away from the pipe as if someone had shouted her into action. She stood up and straightened her pink dress and pulled her cardigan a little tighter around her, in one hand she held a wicker basket filled with flowers, their vivid natural colours standing out in the giant urban forest. Looking down the flower girl smartly walked out of the alley to be confronted by the never sleeping beast which was the roads of Midgar. But tonight the flower girl wouldn't dwell on the despair of the city, had she had a premonition? Ahead the streets of Sector One were suffering from the endless insomnia of Midgar.


	2. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

**CHAPTER ONE: NEW BEGININGS**

A small thin veil of plastic sheet animated by a light breeze was gently carried into the air where it lazily made a path across the track. The military rail platform of Sector One located on the outer ring of the upper city was as busy as one would expect it to be nearing midnight. The only movement would occasionally come from the two guards in the employment of Shinra Inc who sporadically walked the length of the platform in their endless boredom, their crimson trousers, tunic and cap emblazoned upon the dull surrounding stonework of the station. A steady red light overhead which had accompanied the guards throughout the night suddenly switched to green, a train was approaching. The air of the station changed and time seemed to hasten, the two men welcomed the respite from their thoughts.

Green light! The overhead light ahead switched from red to green shortly before the tracks ahead shifted, putting the train on a course for the Sector One military platform. The mercenary nodded to himself, the plan was going accordingly and there might even be a chance that it could succeed. Ahead he saw one his fellow conspirators, a red headed female, her head lifted above the two carriages she hid between, with a small nod their eyes met and she signalled him with her fist with her index finger extended. _Be prepared. _With a nod the mercenary pressed his spiky blonde haired head against the roof of the carriage and tightened his grip on the inadequate hand holds he had found on the sides.

The approaching train threw up a shower of sparks as its breaks were applied far too late which was followed by the whine of the metal upon metal friction as the engine ground to a halt on the platform. The two guards were immediately alert to a problem with the train, something was wrong. Sharing a quizzical look one of the men approached the cockpit at a jog, maybe the driver had had a heart attack, he had heard of such things before. He would never find out however, the guards progress was stopped by a young man, maybe in his late teens who was remarkable in only the way that his clothes so common in the slums below had no place in this military institution. The guard reacted instantly, the baton being brought from his side into the air to deliver the first blow against this scruffy intruder. His speed was outmatched however, the youths arm shot out to intercept his enemies holding the baton. The guard breathed a sigh of surprise at the iron grip of the assailant just before the youth pivoted in a left turn using the guard's weight to bring him down. Not a sound escaped the felled soldier in red before he lost consciousness. A battle cry escaped from the far end of the platform, looking around the youth saw the other guard with baton raised running to his fallen companion's aid. A red headed woman suddenly leapt from the roof of the train. The guard saw the flight of this figure in the corner of his eye, the dim light of the station glinting on the silver breastplate she wore. The shape grew bigger and bigger in his periphery until her foot connected with his face and then nothing mattered at all. The man's cheek collapsed inwards as the woman's kick shattered his jawbone, he fell limply to the side and out of the fight.

Silence once more descended onto the platform. The two fighters as if as one ran to the exit of the platform and out of sight. From the train there emerged an extremely large barrel like man, his plain shirt nothing remarkable but for the bandolier he wore from which hung grenades and other devices of death, following on from him came a giant of a man, his black skin giving off no shine in the dull light. The man's height would dwarf most men as would his physique which told a tale of a life spent in labour. His biceps would be a wonder for a body builder yet this still wasn't the most remarkable visible aspect of this truly remarkable man. Where there should have been a rock like fist to match his left hand, the man's right hand had been replaced with a 30mm chain gun, fed from an ammunition box which could be clipped to the underside of the gun-arm. Spare ammunition boxes were attached to a silver girdle that the giant of a man wore, a truly menacing sight. He followed the barrel man who was exiting the platform; he turned just before he reached the exit and waved with his left arm impatiently in the air. "C'mon newcomer, follow me!" The man ran out of sight as the blonde haired mercenary leapt from the train onto the now empty platform. In comparison to his huge companion the mercenary was nothing remarkable, standing at a normal height the figure was instantly recognisable by his mess of blonde spiked hair which defied reason. He was built like a runner, his thin frame ripped by muscle. His dark blue outfit, tailored for the purpose of combat and stealthy movement was adored by a girdle and various bangles. All of this almost ordinary appearance was overruled however by the giant sword which was clipped to the mercenaries back. The Buster Sword was a giant of a weapon, a broadsword of approximately five foot from end to end and over two foot wide, it was bladed on one side. The weapon would put fear into the hearts of those opposing it, if they could ever believe that the slight man could ever be strong enough to wield such an ungainly thing. The man followed the lead of his companions and away from the station platform where the two guards lay in ruin.

The mercenary rushed out of the train station and onto the quiet cobbled streets of the militarised zone of Midgar; in the distance he could hear the steady drone of traffic. He was surrounded by various buildings which would have held the curiosity of the millions of Midgar citizens for whom this area would always be out of bounds to. But for him it was all a distraction, he knew the way and a quick run brought him within sight of three of his team, they were hidden in the shadows of a heavily locked electronic door. The first youth off the train and the barrel like man: Biggs and Wedge kept watch either side of the t junction while the female, Jessie was busy working on the electronic lock mechanism. The three wore an assortment of odd military clothing which the mercenary could only conclude had been salvaged from a bygone era before Shinra domination came to the world. He moved over to the group at a signal from Biggs, keeping low to avoid the possibility of detection. With five metres to spare a door swung open to the spiky haired figures right and out walked two Shinra soldiers, their blue uniforms overlaid with body armour covering their vitals, their eyes covered by multiuse goggles. The two men didn't even register any danger, let alone reach for their rifles slung to their backs. In one swift movement the Buster Sword was in the mercenaries hand and he had closed with his enemies. The closest soldier was decapitated by a heavy downward arcing blow, while the second who barely had time to turn his head was dispatched when the fighter extended his open palm to the victim which emitted a small shockwave in the air which smashed the man into the solid wall with inhuman strength, breaking his body. The situation was resolved in seconds.

Both Biggs and Wedge allowed themselves fleeting glances at their new companion as he came to crouch down beside them. Biggs stared with eyes full of wonder. "Wow, you used to be in SOLDIER all right! Not every day you find one in a group like AVALANCHE!" He said this with a smile on his face and a shake of his head.

"SOLDIER huh" Came a whisper from Jessie who still was busy working on the lock. Her voice held a note of distaste for the use of SOLDIER, the elite military force of Shinra. "What's he doing with us?" She must have known the answer to this, but her distaste seemed to make this jibe necessary.

"Hey calm it Jessie" Biggs shot back in reply. "He's one of us now" The smile returned to the young man's lips. "Anyway, I didn't catch your name" He had turned back to the mercenary now, totally ignorant of looking out for the enemy.

"Cloud" Came the reply

"Alright! Cloud it is. I'm..."

"Listen" Cloud cut in with a low but firm voice which closed Biggs's mouth and made him listen "I really don't care who you people are. Once this job is finished I'm out of here, I really am just here for the pay off".

The tough looking figure of Biggs bristled with anger at the tone and language of the comments, Cloud noted the man's fingers twitching; he had two pistols holstered at his hips. The almost silent confrontation was interrupted by the arrival of the massive black figure of Barret, the leader of this operation and the AVALANCHE cell. He had been checking that the area was empty.

"What da hell do ya think you're all doin ere? How many times? Never move in concentrated groups, remember you're spacing's, keep your distances and be alert" The rough and scarred face of Barret looked around at his three people. "Jessie, how is the door coming" As he finished the last word the electronic consol beeped and the door rolled open. Biggs moved into the breach, followed by Wedge and then Jessie, the three kept their spacing's of five meters apart and constantly scanned all their arcs of vision. Barret moved into the doorway before turning on Cloud and staring him in his mysterious piercing green eyes. "Ex-SOLDIER huh, I'll be keeping a close eye on you" These words were answered with a cold impassive stare. Barret turned around and followed on after his colleagues. The mercenary remained impassive, looking ahead over the roofs of the houses and high-rise buildings which made up upper-Midgar there loomed the ominous majesty of Shinra tower, the pinnacle of the Midgar crown built upon the toil of all below. Again his gaze was impassive, he had a job to do and he meant to complete it, he followed the trail of the leader through the silent courtyard of Reactor No1, a brightly coloured garden of Mako measuring instruments among other industrial machines.

The Mako reactors of Midgar, all eight of them were located at the end of each partition which divided the great city into sectors. From upper Midgar, what could be seen of the Reactors rose up into the sky to the height of skyscrapers but this was only the tip of the iceberg. Below the upper city the superstructures which encased the machinery of Mako extraction descended fifty meters to the earth like giant pillars supporting the plate. Below the earth the machinery went deep, some said to the very core of the planet. Cloud entered through the courtyard to the entry walkways which led to Reactor superstructure. The narrow walkway was a T junction, ahead Cloud could see Wedge on the far side, the fat man crouched down keeping what was the entrance to Sector Eight clear of obstruction, above the man towered the great wall which marked the beginning of the Sector, this left the right hand path as the only option. From his vantage point Cloud could see the Superstructure towering into the sky and looking down to the slums below, could see the base of the Mako Reactor where somewhere deep it unendingly pumped and refined its fuel.

The inside of the upper superstructure was sealed with another security door which Jessie was busy unlocking, Biggs stood ready for any eventuality while Barret looked on waiting for the newcomer. "Right y'all" Came the low growl of Barret at the sight of Cloud. "Our mission is to destroy this Reactor yea, so far it's been easy but I'm thinking once that bombs set we'll be damn hard pressed to make it out" The giant looked around at the three "But once we have that explosion I don't think they'll be so interested in us for awhile" The man was nodding as he spoke and his voice rose steadily. This was a mannerism Cloud had noted; the man used his anger to drive him. "So Cloud, have you been in one of these holes before?"

"I know their layout, one main descent shaft which runs almost down to the base where the actual Reactor is located."

"You know Cloud, this planet's full of Mako energy. The people here use it every day" Barret spread his arms wide. The Shinra mine it and use it as fuel, it powers their control. But Cloud, Mako is the life blood of the planet. You ever heard of the Life stream man? These machines are like damn vampires."

"Listen, I've already told you're guys. I'm not interested in your preaching, I don't care about your cause and I really don't care about AVALANCHE. I'd hire my sword back to the Shinra if they had the Gil". Both Biggs and Barret scowled at the reply.

"You're sticking with me from now on"

At that moment the door rolled open with a beep, Biggs was ready and together with Jessie they echeloned through into the next room, their boots resounding on the grated floor. Cloud moved through after a minute of silence closely followed by Barret. They entered another large room with a lift entrance on the far side; Jessie had already disappeared into the lift while Biggs would hold position and keep the lift entrance secure. On the floor there lay the unconsciousness body of a Shinra soldier, by the looks of his face he wouldn't be awake for many an hour. And by that time this whole area would be in rubble. Cloud and Barret moved through into the open lift to find Jessie unscrewing a panel to expose a mess circuitry. The elevator was a large sturdy space which could be used to transport the necessary parts to the heart of the reactor when maintenance might be needed. The space about ten meters wide was lit only by the soft glow of an electric blue light. The lights of the lift controls also gave off a dim glow. Barret entered the space and nervously began to pace around the space, nodding his head every now and again as if to reassure himself of success. "How is it coming along Jessie? Are we nearly there?" The terminal beeped in response to Jessie's work and the lift control panel light flickered for a second.

The girl let out an audible sigh of relief. "That should do the trick, Cloud would you press the button over there. We should go all the way down" Cloud obliged and with a lurch the lift began its steady rumbling descent to the reactor. "That should be the last of the coded locks; we have about five minutes till we reach the bottom, just think of how many of our people risked their lives for this. It better be worth it"

Barret suddenly stopped his pacing and turned to Cloud once more. The huge imposing figure focused on the smaller man. Cloud was masked in shadows but his eyes, those green eyes gave off a light of their own. Barely perceptible but there, the only visible sign of the SOLDIER. "Cloud, you don't need to care about what you're doing but you've got to realise that the Shinra are killing the planet. Slowly these machines will suck the planet dry. They're killing the planet. And it's as much you're problem as it is mine"

"The only thing I care about is setting that charge and getting out of here before the Roboguards and security comes raining down on us. If SOLDIER turns up we're all dead"

The lift came to a halt with a slight screech and the door rolled open revealing a cavernous room filled with a low intensity red light. This room was housed the huge extraction machinery which made up another part of the process of Mako extraction. The lift let them out on top of this structure two stories high. They found a stairwell which allowed maintenance crews to work on the many levels of the huge facility. The three took the stairs all the way to the bottom where they found another door. A huge metal passage which slid open as they approached to reveal the ghostly green light of the Mako energy which filled the reactor chamber.

The reactor room dwarfed the other rooms which made up this whole plant. Buried deep beneath the earth where Mako had been found in abundance the machinery of Shinra had built to extract this potent energy. This cavern which was lit somewhat by bright halogen bulbs glowed from the radiance of the Mako below. One hundred meters down was a sea of the green flowing substance. Cloud had seen this sight before but that didn't make it any less spectacular. Some twenty meters below was the main reactor consol, the huge array of control and measuring equipment which could only be reached by a wide grate walkway. The route down was one of following ladders and girders where ones footsteps were always precarious. At one point Jessie stopped on one of the girders "I'll wait here and make sure this way is still clear. Hurry up" The young woman's voice was quick with adrenaline and excitement.

A few more minutes of climbing and Cloud and Barret had reached the main walkway, ahead loomed the target, below through the grate was the Mako; to fall would mean instant death from Mako poisoning. Immediately above the walkway Cloud noticed a strange configuration of machinery which was held suspended by a metal rod attached to the ceiling. Barret noticed this strange object as well. "What do you recon?" He loudly whispered over the continuous churning of machinery with a gesture. "Not just here for decoration"

"It must be some sort of defence if the intruder alarm is tripped, maybe a roboguard"

"Damn big, whatever it is. Anyway, it's all yours now Cloud" The leader gestured to the target which loomed ahead. Cloud nodded and moved forward; removing the explosive belt he wore beneath his clothes as he went.

Suddenly the mercenary stopped on the walkway, his mind frozen to a point in the past, a hazy memory at best where only the briefest of fragments resurfaced. _WATCH OUT! THIS ISN'T JUST A REACTOR! _All of the man's actions ceased as if the memory had struck him dumb. All he could later liken it to was the feeling immediately upon waking where one struggles to remember a rapidly fading dream.

"What's wrong?" The voice was distant and meaningless. "Hey! What's wrong Cloud? Hurry it up"

And that was the end of that moment; the mercenary shook his head as if to forcibly remove the thought and carried on to the target. The array of equipment which made the core of the Reactor was the only truly sensitive spot in the whole structure. It was the giant Mako extraction pipe which ran vertically behind the main consol that was sensitive; if an explosion could be triggered here the resulting chain explosions which would follow the ignition of the extracted Mako being pumped up the pipe would explode the whole refining centre in the chamber above. After that all of the fail-safe's and fire crews in the world wouldn't be able to stop the destruction of Reactor No1. Cloud crouched low by the consol; he had removed the belt which had eight packages of plastic explosives looped onto it. He now placed this under the consol and pierced one of the packages with a detonator. The detonator was operated by a timer which Cloud set to ten minutes. He clicked the button which operated the time and marked it. It began to tick. 10:00, 09:59. When it reached 00:00 this would not be the ideal place to be.

Cloud stood up and turned no triumph in his gaze, just the grim acceptance of his work, Barret smiled. And then the alarm sounded a deep booming sound which cut through the din of the reactor. Above Cloud could easily imagine that a flashing red light would be illuminating squads of bleary eyed soldiers, slinging rifles and preparing to find the cause of alarm. What had gone wrong? At that same instance, as Barret, his grin transformed into a look of horror looked at Cloud in shock the large unusual object which had hung suspended over the walkway was released. The Guard Scorpion was a state of the art robot designed to protect the reactor core in the eventuality that the instillation was breached. That eventuality had now come to pass. The machine dropped onto the walkway, landing on its five sturdy legs. It stood over fifteen feet high, its large body was armed with two heavy machine guns and a large scorpion like tail arced from its back into the air revealing a terrible sharp blade. Instantly the scanning equipment of the scorpion began to assess the area, its sensors searching for bionic life, the legs began navigating the barely wide enough walkway, bringing its firepower to bear on the intruders.

"BARRET! BEHIND YOU!" The giant of a man was already in mid turn; going to one knee he extended his right arm, steadying the weapon grafted to his body. A second later the 30mm canon roared to life, devastating the scorpion. Seconds later the ammunition of the gun was spent, leaving the gun arm smoking and a vast cluster of spent brass at the man's feet. The machine swayed unmoving for a moment, its right machine gun almost severed from a body which looked like the victim of a bad surgeon. But then it came forward, as if revived. Its left turret sending fire down the narrow walkway and its tail flailing. Immediately Cloud joined the fray, leaping in the way of the robot and his vulnerable ally he reflected bullets using his sword in a display which any normal man would be unable to comprehend. It wasn't enough however; the robot saw an opening and the tail delivered a blow over the mercenaries head wounding Barret in the stomach who staggered back with a cry. Suddenly the machine stopped firing, overheated from use, it was designed to be backed up by the now destroyed right arm. Cloud saw an opening and extended his palm forward. From it a bolt of lightning seared toward the robot, striking in the bullet rented body. Its innards caught fire and all the machines movements ceased at the electrical shock. With a run and jump Cloud closed with the machine and his blade severed its left weapon. As he landed from his assault the machine jerked back to life, its heavy front leg kicking the mercenary to the ground. Looking up he saw that deadly tail of the Scorpion poised to strike, he wouldn't have time to move. But then it didn't matter, the 30mm cannon, now reloaded roared back to life tearing through the upper half of the beast. The tail of the Guard Scorpion became limp and the machine toppled off the walkway and fell into the abyss of Mako.

Cloud was on his feet, he had faced death before and he knew it wasn't a thing to dwell on, especially now. Barret was also on his feet, the wound at his side going unnoticed. "Let's get outta ere" He snarled. "Less than ten minutes before detonation!"

Barret took the lead at a furious pace, passing Jessie where she stood on the girder well above the walkway covering their escape. "Cloud!" she cried as the mercenary reached the same point, expecting the girl to follow on behind. "My foot is jammed in the girder, please don't leave me" There was desperation in the tough woman's voice. Cloud doubled back and freed the trapped foot at once. "Come on" replied Cloud Together they climbed the rest of the way up the chamber and out into the next room. Cloud had expected to meet the Shinra here but was surprised to find it empty, Biggs must still been alive then. They found Barret at the lift panting for breath. "Get in, and be prepared for trouble upstairs".

The guard commander of No1 Reactor was down on one knee in the secondary security room of the facility. In the room ahead was the maintenance elevator which was being held by the terrorists. No, one terrorist that was. He hadn't been dislodged yet but that was about to change, around the commander was gathered the thirty soldiers of the guard who were about to assault and kill the bastard. They were armed with rifles and had swords at their sides, they were armoured and wore goggles which could allow night sight. Ideally he would have cut the power and attacked in the pitch dark. No time. "Prepare to breach the door!" He screamed, all the soldiers braced themselves. "BREACH!" A dull explosion rocked the room as the heavy door was blown into the adjacent room. His men entered the smoke filled room in squads of five. Fifteen men entered the room before the firing began, a deafening rolling thunder which was alien to the Shinra rifles. Seconds later two men staggered back through the door, their clothes stained in blood and terror on their faces. "PREPARE TO DEFEND THE POSITION" The well drilled men retreated into positions of cover and prepared to follow their command. Moments later a man rushed through the breach, his blonde haired figure framed in the light. The soldiers unleashed a withering barrage against the target, he deflected the fire yet was still forced backwards a couple of steps. The commander thought fast, the rifles were ineffective against this fighter in the confined space. "CEASE FIRE! DRAW SWORDS-CHARGE!" The men obliged with a deafening battle cry they gave as one.

A minute of parries and counter blows later the guard of No1 Reactor lay dead or maimed on the floor, their lame cries falling on merciless ears. For the feat Cloud had received many cuts, one deep into his hip which for now went unnoticed with the adrenaline. He turned back to the lift room and signalled, there was no time to spare. Sprinting the four fighters reached the dividing walkways spanning Sectors 1 and 8. In the distance a great sound of commotion could be heard. The alarm was still being sounded and soon the full might of Shinra would be brought down upon the Reactor. Jessie who ran before Cloud fell forward; she panicked and let out a slight cry. The mercenary squatted over her prone figure and hauled her onto his back. Ahead Wedge was nowhere to be seen but reaching the Sector 8 entrance they found it unlocked. Wedge had done his job. Barret let out a sigh of relief. All the four struggled to keep their breathing under control. The intense mix of adrenaline and tiredness gave the impression that the four were hyperventilating. As the door to Sector 8 rolled open a great tremor ran through the walkway, from some deep place beneath the planet there came the sound of thunder. The mission had been successful but AVALANCHE still had a way to run.


	3. Chapter 2: Flowers

CHAPTER TWO: Flowers

The attack on the Sector One Reactor was unprecedented. The explosion tore up through the structure blowing out level after level until it reached the dizzying heights of the top of the reactor where its roof was torn off, the metal being flung high into the air. The flames continued to spur from the roof for many hours like the steam from a boiled kettle. The ambition and scale of this attack had never been seen before; the little known group had exploded onto the scene. Thousands were killed; the worst of the damage was felt in the Slums where the close proximity of the many shanty homes was an easy target for the fire which spread from house to house, devastating Sector 1. Upper Midgar fared better but the damage was still widespread. By far the worst effects of the explosion were felt in the military area of the Sector. It would be no lie to say that the Shinra security forces were elite, by the time of the explosion hundreds of troops were amassed around the reactor. Not since the great wars was such a loss of life visited upon humanity, but this was a first for the people of Midgar.

It was so dark and screams of despair filled the air. Cloud coughed, no chocked, his airways desperately trying to clear away the dust which filled them. He opened his eyes, gingerly at first; the glow of his eyes became visible. He lay within the safety of a Sector Eight sewage tunnel. The tunnel itself remained intact but each of the exits were blocked when the explosion devastated the building above showering the floor with rubble. The detonation caused what could be described as an earthquake throughout the plate and Cloud had fell to the floor, the collision with the tunnel knocking him unconscious. Now he awakened to the dust filled world. The whole crew were up and pacing around the tunnel. Wedge who they had found in Sector 8 was busy setting an explosive charge at the mouth of the tunnel. Cloud stood up, the wound at his side causing him considerable pain, his shirt sticky with blood.

"OK boss" Wedge turned and nodded to Barret. "It is all ready to blow on your word"

"Good work" The man stood up and addressed the group. Worry seemed to have fallen off the fighter Cloud noted, gone was the scowl to be replaced by a slight smile revealing white teeth through the ashen gloom. "We've been lucky so far people, and the mission was a success, seeing as we're trapped in the rubble of our work, but it aint over yet yea" The small space filled with the small sound of rough laughter. "We have a train to catch in fifteen minutes, we won't be waiting around. From here we'll separate and meet at the station yea" Everyone nodded. "Take care people"

War had come to the streets of Midgar, that human state from which no place has ever been safe. It could not have been famine, pestilence or disease, Midgar provided, Midgar cared, but war was different. The cries of that night filled Clouds head as he walked through this nightmarish world. Tall flames could be seen in the distance but more immediate was the twisted architecture of the fallen masonry which littered the streets. More than once Cloud would glimpse the smallest sign of a body, all but hidden under the ruins. He walked on by, this was war and he was just a pawn in its unending game. He had learnt long ago that the game was only ever as glorious as the dead and maimed lying in the ruins of their lives, the ruins upon which victories were always built and where right and wrong often meant nothing. This was no different; the flames awoke distant memories of a distant time in the mercenary and the screams became more profound, like calls from the past begging for a second chance at their lives. If this wasn't the work of AVALANCHE then it would be the work of the Shinra at some point in the future. Maybe once upon a time he had felt different, but that was a long time ago and he had moved on.

The woman was knocked off her feet, the collision taking her completely by surprise. The man who had run into her was spun around by the force with which his feet had carried him. The young lady caught a glimpse of the man's face as he turned around to carry on his journey. She could be angry that the gentleman had not apologised, the empty eyes and slack jaw however painted a whole picture, at least for the flower lady anyway. He had been with friends when the attack had happened; his family had not and were at home. Pity filled the girl as she stood up and wiped the grime from her pink dress, it was her mother's favourite and probably hers as well if she dwelt on it. Looking around she surveyed the rubble of the town centre, the square was devastated, and even the fountain was damaged which she was most upset about. The sound of the water falling on water, to her more beautiful than a full orchestra or any other sound of man had never yet failed to cheer her up. Presently she noticed a man walking towards her, the huge sword on his back silhouetted against flames. He was looking ahead but his gaze was vacant. She sighed.

"Hello, excuse me"

He looked around sharply and saw a young lady, silently berating himself for not being more aware. She was stunning, her face and body would have attracted any man. Yet this wasn't what caught his attention, by her side was a basket of flowers. How unusual.

"Do you know what has happened?" The flower ladies voice was soft and calm; it was another thing that struck the mercenary.

The women openly stared into Clouds eyes, her huge blue eyes staring into the shaded calculating depths of his. "I really don't know" He held her gaze for a second and looked down. "Hey, you don't see many flowers here"

She smiled; her eyes still on his. "Oh these, I totally forgot. I'm selling them for a Gil each, would you like one?"

He brought one, and slid the crisp stem under one of his bangles. "Oh thank you" She smiled that lovely smile again. "Now I really must go". The thought passed through Cloud that he must as well.

Moving on through the ruined Sector he passed a trio of men who stood outside of a large warehouse staring up at its walls. Rudely daubed across the wall in red pain were the words _DON'T BE FOOLED BY SHINRA. MAKO ENERGY DOESN'T LAST FOREVER! MAKO IS THE PLANETS LIFE SOURCE! THE END IS IN SIGHT_! _PROTECTORS OF THE PLANET: AVALANCHE!_

Cloud looked down and carried on walking, the station nothing more than one hundred meters away to the left.

"YOU WITH THE BLONDE HAIR. STOP AND TURN AROUND!" Cloud swivelled around to see four Shinra soldiers, their rifles trained on him while they advanced. One of the men was frantically speaking into a radio. Cloud faced them and began taking large backward strides, his right hand gripping the hilt of the Buster Sword while he outstretched his left, the palm facing his foes. He couldn't afford to get drawn into a fight. Cloud walked to the end of the road which ended in a T junction. Taking the street left would get him to the station but just as he was considering this he caught sight of troops running in from both the left and the right in his periphery. Damn. With a flash he drew the sword, its imposing sight widening the eyes of the troops slightly.

"Do not think about resisting, we do not want to kill you"

Suddenly Cloud heard the sound of a train directly behind. Turning his head slightly he noticed that his back was against a waist high wall which protected people from falling on the train tracks 15 meters below where it entered into a tunnel. The realisation quickly dawned on him that he had missed his train and it was about to pass beneath him. The soldiers were too shocked to react, with a magnificent backward flip Cloud cleared the wall and fell roughly onto the roof of the train carriage, just managing to duck low enough to clear the lip of the tunnel.


	4. Chapter 3: AVALANCHE

**CHAPTER THREE: AVALANCHE**

The carriage was filled with the constant roar of the moving train as it hurtled across its tracks. Light flittered through a small window casting great looming shadows throughout the space. The carriage filled with large crates of who the hell cared what, was a strange place at this bleak hour. There seemed to be a strange serenity in the consistency of the ongoing sound and that strange equilibrium of light and dark which swept across the unmoving boxes strangely fit the setting. These were the thoughts which passed through the head of Barret Wallace, leader of AVALANCHE. Although he would have never have been able to put it that way, would never want to put it that way or feel slightly inclined to if he could. But he felt calmer and he knew that this shadowed box was moving away from the trouble of the night, the trouble which had been keeping him awake for weeks. But now he was calmer. Yet he still shook his head, silently cursing into the depths of his minds confrontation.

The four members of AVALANCHE sat around the carriage, slumped against the boxes, totally exhausted. Biggs leaned his head against the box staring at the dusty roof breathing deep calming breaths; stress falling away with every exhale. Wedge looked as if asleep, eyes shut and mouth open. Jessie was equally exhausted but her eyes were open and she steadily stared into the shadows. The job had been a success and as of yet they were free, they would have been happy but for one problem, a problem which Barrets animated features made the group all too well aware of.

"Cloud never came" Jessie spoke to no one in particular. The hard edge of which filled the woman's voice earlier was now gone, replaced instead with the softer sounds of humanity.

Wedge brought his head down deliberately "Think he's dead?" The roar of the tracks seemed to get louder for a moment. "I mean, why wouldn't he be here?"

"Cloud..."

"I tell y'all now, he ain't dead" The boss spoke and they were reassured. "Did you guys see him move? I almost felt sorry for them Shinra pigs" They smiled at this. A series of thuds suddenly rang from the roof of the carriage in quick succession making the four fighters start. It stopped as soon as it had begun and there was silence. "Jus something loose"

"So boss, do we think he'll fight for the cause?" Wedge looked awake now.

"We could sure use an EX-SOLDIER" Biggs smiled again at the thought, his mind alight with violence.

"The hell would I know, do I look like a mind reader?" He scowled around at his crew "If y'all weren't such screw ups..." A loud thud suddenly sounded against the carriage door making Barret jump to his feet, the door slowly slid open. "The hell?"

The roar of the train outside grew to a crescendo; the lights of Midgar which could be seen in the breach disappeared as the familiar figure of Cloud swung into the carriage, wiping a dislodged piece of his usually immaculate hair away from his eyes.

"CLOUD!" Jessie, Biggs and Wedge cried.

The SLODIER gave a wan smile "Sorry everyone, looks like I'm a little late" His voice was cool and clear, like it usually was.

"You damn right you're late, what were you playin at eh?" He ran his giant paw like hand across his bald head "Come waltzin in ere makin a big scene! What's that about?"

"It's no big deal"

"Man! You done good. But then we're all ere worryin about you, an you don't give a damn bout no one but yourself"

"And you were worried about me?"

Barret stared unblinking at the mercenary, he was livid. He spat onto the floor "Wake up you guys we're moving" He turned his back and walked out of the carriage down to the passenger area of the train slowly followed by the other members of AVALANCHE.

Wedge slapped Cloud on the back who stood unmoving "You were great back there"

Biggs flashed one of his now familiar grins. Jessie waited until the others left and stood facing Cloud, the two of them swaying with the movement of the machine "Oh your face is covered in muck" she cleaned his face with her sleeve "There, and Cloud I just wanted to say thank you for earlier, you err saved my life" she smiled and then turned to leave but remembering said one more thing "And don't forget to close the door" The carriage was wide open and the noise still filled the place.

The passenger cars at half past midnight on route to the lower city, the slums, were mostly filled with just the sort of people you might expect. A strong smell of urine filled the air and the ripped seats which exposed the stuffing beneath looked none too inviting. Barret waded down the narrow isle and lounged back on the seats, taking up two. He stared fixedly at the man opposite, a rake like thing in an immaculate suite. The man soon stood up and stumbled to the next carriage cursing the rule of the street which had forced him to remain impotent. The rest of the crew entered the room and soon it was only them who occupied it. An announcement rang throughout the train _"Last train out of Sector Eight. Last stop is Sector Seven, train graveyard. Expected time of arrival is 12:45 AM, Midgar standard time."_

The cool feminine voice ended and she gave way to the dull voice of a bored newsman. He spoke about the explosion of the Sector One reactor, the government controlled media was revealing little so soon after. "Someday soon we are all going to be famous" Biggs spoke aloud seriously. "I'm going to be famous" Cloud thought that the day the actions of AVALANCHE became famous would be very distant from now. Now infamous, there was a very different word. "This train is pretty dead, from tomorrow the security will be much tougher, Shinra have been slow"

"Hey Cloud, take a look at this with me" The redhead stood over a touch screen consol. "This is a map of the Midgar rail system" Touching the _press here_ button, the screen flashed into life showing a green representation of the great city. "I love gadgets, bombs and computers. You know flashy stuff". The city was huge, the scale in the corner read _1/10000, _the under city below completely covered by the plate above. A huge pizza like structure with the Shinra tower protruding from its heart. Small dots began appearing on the screen spiralling down the circumference of the central pillar on the underside of the tower. "O.K this is the pillar which the plate is connected too, the dots are the rail line down which we are descending. The pillars are what the Sectors are built into but they're mostly supported by an outer pillars which holds up each Sector, the reactors are self supporting see" He did, the machine fascinated him, the information which could be gleaned from such a display was unbelievable. "You know that each Sector once upon a time used to be separate towns. And I mean the lower city now, forget that floating monstrosity. No one uses the names now though, they were replaced with numbers, it kind of tells you a lot about Shinra doesn't it?" He thought this statement was profound. "Anyway, what I really wanted to tell you about is this" A red light suddenly pulsed through the cabin and then was gone. Jessie smiled, marvelling at her timing "That's an I.D monitor device, scans the cards we all have, the fake ones I made for us all will throw the Shinra right off our tail, if we didn't have them we'd be picked up at the next stop"

"Cloud, come here and take a look" Barret sat with his knees on the chairs looking out over the Mako lit Slums below. "Look at the surface, you can never tell if it's day or night, hell it don't have one. If that plate wasn't there the people could see the sky"

Cloud bent close to the window, the lights of lower Midgar seemed to stretch out forever, and then he looked to the vast plate above and shook his head slightly "Still unbelievable, unsettling"

Barret looked sideways at the mercenary with a strange look "Yer just full o surprises." He looked back at the sight "It's all cause of that plate that the people are suffering, it's all because of the Shinra: the pollution, the Mako reactors, the oppression and that damn plate" The leaders eyes shone as he spoke "But you know Cloud, them same people won't ever leave, I guess it's their land and no matter how polluted it gets they will always love it, damn this isn't just about the planet, the Shinra are wrong in so many ways"

"About the people, I know they don't live in the Slums through choice. It's like this train, it can't run anywhere except where its rails take it".

The time was 12:45 and the dregs of people left on the final Sector 7 train of the night began to idly file out into the perpetual gloominess of the lower sector. Lights from the underside of the plate shone dimly through the smog filled air which gave everything in sight a slight orangey glow. In daytime the intensity of the lights would be increased but the nights held this queer glow which Cloud had always found even more unsettling than the floating city above. The platform began to empty as the small gathering of people began to slink away into the gloom; one man dressed in only rags lay down on the platform where he ascended out of the despair of his life into the emptiness of sleep.

The members of AVALANCHE went their separate ways at the station; Barret had briefed them before the train came to a halt, telling them that they should meet the next day at their rendezvous point. This would throw off those who might be on their trail he said. In a daze of tiredness Cloud meandered through the rubbish strewn paths of Sector 7, avoiding the scrap metal strewn paths and the odd shady figure that stood shaded in the smog filled gloom. He came eventually to the shanty town, or rather the shanty city which dominated the Sector. In the gloom the large rickety buildings which made up the centre of town rose as high as their weak materials would allow. Here and there stood the odd building of good workmanship but for the most part the town was one of tarpaulin and corrugated steel. The mercenary was familiar with this place and soon found himself at the door of a local inn. Paying ten Gill for the night got him a stained mattress in a large dormitory, the silence of the night punctuated with the moans of the lost and dispossessed that had been given sanctuary. Sleep was long in the waiting for the EX-SOLDIER that night; the fear of arrest was low in his mind although still there, more so were the endless thoughts of the screams he heard in the fire of Sector 8. In that state of mind between sleep and wakefulness the fire rose up around him into an inferno, the embers being flung high into the air, trailing off into nothingness. Around him the buildings burnt and ahead of him Cloud fancied he spied the tall figure of a nearly familiar face, a black cape and long silver hair gave off their own dim light in the flames. As quickly as the figure was there it was again gone in a blink of an eye. Cloud remained surrounded by the flames hearing the cries and wails of all the people he had killed and maimed. Why?

He awoke with a start, the electric light of the morning poured into the room through a window. A clock mounted crookedly on a wall read 10:20. It was time to wake up. Quickly dressing and fitting his sword to his back Cloud was ready and left the creaky building. In the artificial light of day everything was much clearer, the dirt streets were strewn with filth of every kind and the few people in the streets shuffled around as if lost. Cloud ate at a small store served by an old toothless woman and made his way to the rendezvous point passing a shabby assortment of shops and stalls selling everything from clothes to small weapons. In the short distance loomed a great pillar, towering over the under city. It was one of the eight outer supporting pillars which Jessie had mentioned the night before, a thin fragile looking steel staircase spiralled around the tower until it reached the top. Presently Cloud was standing outside of one of the few well built structures in the Sector. A narrow wooden set of steps led to a porch and beyond that a set of swinging doors, their glass panes cracked slightly. Above the doorway blazed the sign _SEVENTH HEAVEN. _Taking a deep breath, Cloud walked in.

The _SEAVENTH HEAVEN _was by far the most popular place in the Sector, it managed to retain a small sense of class which the other dives had lost long ago. It was also very far from anyone's but an alcoholic's vision of any type of heaven. A simple wooden interior with chairs and round tables should conjure up the image of a typical watering hole in any number of films of the Wild West dear reader; it even had a badly tuned piano which the owner often played, bringing back the memories of her childhood. The simple bar against the back wall stood flanked by a great array of spirits lined against the wall. The only thing which stood out here was a pinball machine, its body erratically flashing off and on as if it suddenly decided that it was time to work. A note was scrawled onto its face _Out of order. _Regulars would say that the machine had never worked. The bar was tended by the lovely Tifa Lockhart; a young lady who many said had no place in the bars of the Slums. She was athletic and her long brown hair made her an instant hit with the locals, bringing them in night after night. But more than that we shall discover in the course of the story.

Tifa stood behind the bar alone when Cloud walked into the room. She had spent the morning totalling up the bars takings while Barret and the rest sat at a table discussing the previous nights work. Tifa had heard it all off Barret in the early hours of the morning, now she just waited to see Cloud. Sat at the bar opposite was Marlene; the four year old was Barrets daughter and spent most of her time within the relative safety of the bar. She sat on a high stool with her small legs dangling over the edge of the seat; her small hands were barely clasped around a steaming mug of hot chocolate. There were a few other customers in the bar, most of them were a bunch of leather wearing youths, a local gang wasting their time in the absence of a job. They sat around and laughed together. The room was filled with the strong stench of alcohol mixed with tobacco smoke and the fan on the ceiling just seemed to spin the stale air around in circles, reminding the occupants of just how stagnant the air really was.

Barret was the first to notice Cloud. Jumping out of his seat he rushed around the bar like a lunatic clearing the place. The occupants by now wise in the ways of the giant man cleared out without a fuss. One of the youths refused to leave before he had finished his drink even though his friends had abandoned him. Barred picked up the man by his hair and flung the screaming man from the premises. From outside the man shouted "You ain't so tough you big bastard" Barret ran out into the street after the offender.

Tifa ran from behind the bar to Cloud and hugged him. She was followed by Marlene who stood behind her as if trying to listen but stay hidden from Cloud "Welcome home, looks like everything went well?" He nodded, lowering her voice she muttered "Did you fight with Barret?"

"Only slightly"

"I thought you would. He is always pushing people around, and you've always been in fights since you were little" She shook her head at the memory "I was worried" She turned her head slightly to see Marlene "Hey, aren't you going to say anything to Cloud" The little girl shifted slightly to stay out of view "She is just shy"

Cloud peered around Tifa, forcing the girl to shimmy across even more. From under the bangle on his arm Cloud drew the flower he brought off the lady in the upper city and handed it to Marlene. Her eyes widened at the beauty of it and a small smile appeared on her face. She took the flower and then retreated out of sight once again. Cloud straightened and faced Tifa.

Barret burst back into the bar breathing heavily. "Some people just have no respect" Cloud could just imagine the leader's eyes on his back

Marlene shot from behind Tifa and jumped into Barrets arms "Papa!" He carried her over to where she had sat.

"Hey baby, where did you find the flower, it's beautiful?"

The girls voice was small and innocent "Cloud gave it to me"

The man was silent for a long moment "Did you thank him"

Marlene's voice drifted across the room "Thank you Cloud. We'll take care of you"

Barret turned to everyone in the room "Right you fools put your drinks down, the meetings about to start" He strode over to the pinball machine and pressed the start button. The machine was the control for a hidden lift which the small floor space around the machine actually was, with a whirl of lights from the lift control that section of floor began to descend with a low screech. Jessie, Biggs and Wedge followed on, jumping down the narrow hole to the room beneath. This was the AVALANCHE hideout.

It left Cloud and Tifa alone "Come to the bar, it looks like a drink would do you good" At the bar Tifa went about mixing a small cocktail of spirits together. "You don't know how relieved I am that you made it back safely"

"It was nothing major"

"I guess not, you were in SOLDIER" She turned to face Cloud and set a dark concoction before him. He brought the glass up and downed the contents his face remaining impassive. It burnt his throat and a slight feeling of numbness entered his mind. It was good.

"That was a long time ago" He stood up

"Don't you forget to collect your pay from Barret"

"Once I've got it I'm out of here" Behind Cloud Tifa looked downcast. The mercenary walked over to the lift shaft and climbed down into the hideout below.


	5. Chapter 4: The Promise

**THE PROMISE**

Barret pivoted, his arm arcing into a wide swing which connected with the punching bag before him. The blow was heavy and the bag swayed back and forth like a tree weathering a ferocious storm, in a flurry of movement the man landed ten strikes, his breath was laboured and sweat began to form on his brown; his right arm ached from the weight of the machine gun. The sound of the dull blows on the bag echoed through the small hide out. A table dominated the centre of the room, decorated with the blueprints and details of potential targets which were strewn in an unorganised mess. Against a wall was a table which took the role of a small bomb factory; the work space organised lovingly by Jessie who cared for it like her home. Propped in a corner stood a huge television, the screen filled with the fuzzy face of a Shinra newsman. Barret had his back turned to the screen but he knew the face of the speaker whose dry voice urgently spoke over the sound of the giants show of strength. The pristine suite, the manicured hands and the cosmetic covered face, the well groomed reader was currently the face of Shinra to Barret. And this clean corporate exterior was but a facade for what lay beneath. _Jus a bunch o blood sucking monsters._ Barret drawing from his hatred was reenergised and launched another assault on the bag.

"And on too today's breaking news story, it has been confirmed that yesterdays bombing of the No.1 Reactor was carried out by a cell of the terrorist group AVALANCHE" The reporter disappeared to be replaced with the image of graffiti scrawled onto a Sector 8 wall. _DON'T BE FOOLED BY SHINRA. MAKO ENERGY DOESN'T LAST FOREVER! MAKO IS THE PLANETS LIFE SOURCE! THE END IS IN SIGHT_! _PROTECTORS OF THE PLANET: AVALANCHE! _The writing was being removed by a small army of cleaners. "The current figure on the dead and injured is unclear as large areas of the city remain in ruins; but it will certainly rise into the thousands. Needless to say this cowardly attack on the freedoms of our people will not go unpunished; today President Shinra announced the mobilisation of the elite SOLDIER units within the city to bring this terror to a speedy end. AVALANCHE is a radical group with the aim of removing all technology from the planet to bring a return to an agrarian society..." Barret could take no more and focused on removing the voice from his head and pounding the punch bag. How could the people be mobilised if the Shinra just fed the people their lies all the time?

Cloud observed the little room for a minute in concealed amusement. Biggs and Wedge were sat around the table watching the animated screen with rapt attention, amazed at the scale of the devastation wrought by their own hands while Jessie was sat at her desk working on an electronic system. And then there was Barret in the corner unleashing his fury, beside him sat Marlene, the girl watching her father with open mouthed fascination. How this odd collection of people, with little training or equipment had pulled off such an operation was unbelievable. The image of the exploded Reactor on the screen was evidence of this.

Barret suddenly turned, aware of the new arrival. "Yo Cloud, there's something I need to know." The bag rocked from side to side behind him "Did you see anyone from SOLDIER last night? Were there any in the Reactor guards we met upstairs?"

"None Barret, if there were we wouldn't be here now"

Barret frowned "How do you know? Don't try telling me how tough you are"

"Those from SOLDIER aren't just anyone. They're genetically enhanced humans, faster and stronger, you couldn't have thought I was normal last night?"

"Yeah, you're strong. Probably all them guys in SOLDIER are. But don't forget ya skinny ass is working for AVALANCHE now"

Cloud had had enough; enough with Barrets attitude and temper. He had done the job he was contracted for; once he was paid he would be away from this place. "You asked me a question and I answered, I going to be upstairs where we can talk about my money". Cloud swivelled around to see Tifa at the other end of the small room, she had followed him down. He walked across the room and back to the lift.

"Wait, Cloud" Tifa placed her hand upon Clouds shoulder "Calm down" he shrugged her hand away and stepped onto the lift platform.

"Tifa, let him go! Looks like he still misses the Shinra"

Cloud spun around and shouted "Shut up! I don't care about Shinra or SOLDIER, but don't get me wrong Barret, I don't care about AVALANCHE or the Planet either"

"If that's the truth, then that just makes you coldblooded" Barret spat venomously. He turned around to continue his assault on the punch bag. Cloud turned away from the scene and took the lift back to the top.

Cloud released a loud sigh into the empty barroom of the Seventh Heaven. He walked over to one of the tables and took a seat, placing his sword across the table. The aged floorboards creaked under his weight as he took a seat. It felt good to sit but the mercenary was eager to get this job over with. The hidden lift suddenly groaned and began to descend to the hideout below, Barret should be on his way up, and then Cloud could leave, he let out another sigh and closed his eyes. The job had run smoothly, but he Cloud was surprised by how the events had affected him. What had happened to him when he went to place the bomb? But for now there were other matters more pressing, the hydraulics of the lift came alive once more with a whine of protest and raised the platform to the bar. After a moment of silence Could opened his eyes and moved his glowing eyes to the lift to see Tifa, staring calmly at him with her one hand resting on her hip, she smiled warmly.

"Listen Cloud, I'm asking you, please join us. Don't leave us now"

"I am sorry Tifa"

"Cloud, the planet is dying. It won't happen straight away, but the Shinra are bleeding it dry. Someone has to do something" Her voice was serious and she looked at him with a critical eye, assessing him almost.

"So let Barret and his crew, AVALANCHE, do something about it, it's got nothing to do with me". He shook his head in frustration, clearly Barret had asked Tifa to speak with him. "Listen Tifa, I just want my money and then I'll be away. Tell Barret to have my money ready later when I come back" He stood up and began walking to the door.

"So! Your really leaving!?" Her voice rose high with unexpected emotion which made the ex-SOLDIER turn with slight surprise. "You're just going to walk right out ignoring your childhood friend?" her voice now held accusation.

"What do you mean?"

"Then you did forget the promise? I never thought you would Cloud"

"What promise?"

"It was seven years ago" Her voice was small, her eyes shone with the memory she was about to conjure up of a time gone by "We sat under the stars, an ocean of them; you would never see anything like it over Midgar. The night was warm and I met you out on the well. Don't you remember Cloud?"

He did "Yeah... the well back home" A huge wooden framed structure as tall as a house. He had climbed up there to wait for Tifa, the girl his young heart had totally fallen for. He would wait there until she came. "I thought you would never come, I was starting to get a little cold" Tifa smiled in delight as the realisation of the memory dawned across Clouds face. For Cloud the memory was overpowering. New feelings, or rather old ones remembered flooded through him from a part of his life that was lost. The memory was so strong it could have been only a moment ago.

Suddenly he was a boy again and the light breeze on that warm night made him shiver, the strong fragrance from the myriad of flowers which surrounded Nimbelheim filled the air; a smell which now represented home as much as the actual place. He seemed so full of ambition then, of potential; what had happened?

The boy started from his thoughts at the sound of the loud creak as someone climbed the ladder to the walkway and stepped around to where he sat.

"Sorry I'm late... You said you wanted to talk about something?" Tifa's voice was a lot different then, it was the voice of a young teenager, innocence maybe.

"Come this spring Tifa, I'm going to be leaving this town for Midgar" Clouds voice was different in much the same way.

"All of the boys are leaving town"

Cloud frowned at this. "But I'm different from all of them. I'm not just going to find a job, I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to rise to the top, I'll be the best there is. Just like Sephiroth".

"Sephiroth" Tifa said the name slowly "The great Sephiroth... Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"

"Of course it is, but that won't be a problem for me. But I don't think I'll be able to come home for awhile"

Tifa sat next to Cloud, both of their legs swinging over the side. "Will you be in the newspapers if you do well?"

"I'll try"

There was silence for a moment and Tifa raised her head to the stars. "Why don't we make a promise then? If you ever get really famous and I'm in trouble, then you'll come and save me" She lowered her head to look at the boy.

"What?"

"Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me" She paused to consider this for a moment "I want to experience that at least once" She smiled, but her eyes, which with the reflection of the stars looked each like microcosms of the universe, were solemn.

"What?" Cloud couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had never had a conversation like this with anyone before.

"Just make the promise to me Cloud. If you leave then I know that we will meet again someday, you have promised"

"Ok Tifa, I promise"

"Thank you"

The mercenary opened his eyes to see the bar of the Seventh Heaven. That half faded memory was seven years old and one of the few he could remember of the past, yet the feelings of duty and pride which welled up within him when he spoke those words all those years ago surged through him once more

"I was never famous Tifa... and I was certainly never a hero. I won't be able to keep the promise" Across the bar the lift was called down.

"Cloud, you achieved your childhood dream. You became a SOLDIERS first class. You can still be my hero. Don't leave us."

The lift rose once again and there stood the massive hulk of Barret Wallace, beads of sweat dripping from his head. He looked Cloud over for a moment. "I guess a promise is a promise" He tossed a large bag of coins which Cloud caught "One thousand five hundred gill, what we agreed"

"If you have got the next job lined up then I'll do it for three thousand"

"Say what!" The giants eyes widened with surprise, and anger too Cloud thought.

"It's ok Barret" Tifa walked over to the leader and spoke quietly "I don't think we can afford to refuse"

"Make it two thousand and we have a deal. No way I can pay more man, I'm gonna send Marlene to school"

Tifa sighed "Thanks Barret"

"What do you say spikey?" Cloud nodded "Good to hear! All da crew will be sleepin in the hideout until we move next. The Shinra will be lookin high and low for us. I'll give you details on the strike in the morning newcomer"

Cloud took his sword from the table and walked to the lift shaft and jumped down. Tifa smiled and mumbled to herself "Thank you Cloud"


End file.
